MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The Barry University Athletic Department celebrated its 27th Annual Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 28 at the Signature Grand in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Awards were presented to athletes from every sport.
Senior Emanuel Fraitzl (men’s tennis) was named the 2011 male Athlete of the Year. Fraitzl led the Buccaneers to the national title in the spring of 2010 and captured the NCAA Division II singles title in the fall. His overall record is 24-7, including an 8-5 mark against nationally ranked players this spring. For his career, his is record 77-21 in singles, 60-16 in dual matches. He ranks sixth in school history in wins and 13th in winning percentage.
Seniors Barbi Pocza (women’s tennis) and Julia Teixeira (volleyball) were named the 2011 co-female Athletes of the Year.
Pocza ranks eight in Division II singles, going 12-0 all at number one, including a 7-0 mark against nationally-ranked opponents. She also ranks second in doubles, going 23-4, including 16-3 at number one in dual matches. She won the regional doubles title with partner Angie Werschel and finished tied for third at the national tournament. She was the ITA national Rookie of the Year last season and an All-American in both singles and doubles. Pocza was recently named the 2011 Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, earning a spot on the All-SSC First-Team.
Teixeira led the volleyball team back to the regional tournament for the first time since 2006, leading the conference and ranking third in the nation in kills per set (4.80) and points per set (5.40). She was named Player of the Year in both the Sunshine State Conference and the South Region, earning 1st-team All-American by both AVCA and Daktronics. She was named SSC Offensive Player of the Week twice and National Player of the Week by the AVCA for Sept 29.
The Professor Neill Miller Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award was given to the male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative GPA and for the first time since 1988-89 the award has the same repeat solo winners.
Daniel Stapff kept the men’s award on the men’s golf team for the third year. Stapff, a junior, carries a 3.896 in finance. Stapff is the reigning SSC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and brought home the Elite 88 Award from the men’s golf nationals in 2010 as the highest GPA at the finals. This year, he has won two tournament titles at the Aflac/Cougar Invitational and tapping in an eagle putt on the second playoff hole to win the SSC Tournament.
Junior Allie Llaneras of the women’s soccer team earned the award on the women’s side for the second straight year. Llaneras has a 3.982 as an exercise science major. She played in 14 games, starting twice, and added three assists as the Bucs led the SSC in scoring.
The softball team earned the CHAMPS/Lifeskills competition for the fourth straight year in a row. The women’s soccer team finished second, while the rowing team came in third.
Haley Struthers of the women’s soccer team and Grace Collins of the softball team won the Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin Community Service Award for their charitable work within the school and community. Struthers is the president of Barry’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, while Collins is the vice-president.
